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CHAPTER XXVII
YSER BATTLES--ATTACK ON YPRES
A large part of the Belgian forces with some of the English marines
were forced across the Dutch border, where they were promptly disarmed
and interned, while the remnants of these forces retreated toward
the west by way of St. Nicolas and reached Ostend on October 11
and 12, 1914, with greatly reduced numbers. Many were cut off and
captured by the German forces, which entered Ghent on October 12,
and pressed on to Ypres in one direction and to Lille in another.
Next day, the thirteenth, they approached Ostend, forcing these
Belgians who had managed to get through, to evacuate.
Bruges was occupied by the German forces on October 14, 1914, and
other detachments appeared in Thielt, Daume, and Esschen on the
same day, thus getting under their control the entire Kingdom of
Belgium, with the exception of the northwestern corner, north of
Ypres, to the coast of the channel. For Ostend, too, had fallen into
their hands by October 15, after the English and Belgian troops had
been taken away by an English fleet; the Belgians were transported
to France where they were re-formed while the English marines were
sent back to England.
In the meantime the Germans were drawing on reenforcements from
the Vosges and the Champagne districts and every day their numbers
increased. West Flanders was swarming with German cavalry, and
about this time they were as far west as Hazebrouck and Cassel,
and only twenty-five miles distant from Dunkirk.
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